Automotive: Laser sensors for the automotive industry

LASER SENSORS HELP AUTOMATE THE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Automobile manufacturing is highly-automated and extensively uses laser sensors and laser scanners for quality assurance and regular test and measurement applications. Laser sensors are selected because they can quickly and accurately measure displacements or positions without touching the target. The non-contact measurement principles are ideal for measuring fast-moving parts, delicate parts that may scratch (such as paint or plastic) or hot parts such as engine components.

Overall Line Scanner Profile Scan

Laser line scanners are used for profiling surfaces to obtain complex shape profiles, panel gap widths, hole diameters, etc. These scanners bring not only the benefits of machine vision, but also the benefits of non-operator dependent measuring tools and techniques. High precision quality control is especially important in the auto industry.

Tire Thread Depth Scan

The Acuity AP820 model laser scanner demonstrates both a 2D and 3D scan of the tread on a tire. In the automotive industry, it is important to measure tire surface/depth very accurately with high resolution.

Automotive Positioning Detection

Acuity’s laser triangulation sensors can be used to detect the positioning of auto bodies in the processing line. In order for the processing line to identify the position of the auto body, laser triangulation sensors are used to precisely measure the exact position of the car before proceeding with the operator’s action.

Crash Test Sensors

Engineers of automobile crash tests use Acuity’s AR500 laser position sensor to measure the car’s deceleration during the crash event. Analog signals from the sensors are used to produce a deceleration curve plotted against time. The laser sensors, mounted directly to the vehicle, undergo the full impact of the crash, often up to 80 G’s. Despite the force of the impact, no AR500’s has ever suffered damage!